Grow Your Business A Backbone – Your Message and Why It Matters

People always ask me why I started working with businesses around their message, and my answer is kind of random – because my clients started asking me for it.

Ask* and they shall receive (*depending on what they are asking for. I’m not fucking Santa Claus).

People were always saying they didn’t know what their message was, and I had done some purpose work (bleh, felt a little too woo woo for me) with clients in the past – what’s your life purpose, what are you here for on earth, etc etc. And I realized “Wait one goshdarn minute – what if purpose = business message? Bam.”

And so my messaging work began.

So then, what the hell does “Messaging” even mean?

At the core it’s WHY you do what you do, and WHAT, exactly, you believe in. These are what your clients are going to latch on to. It’s your business’s backbone, and you need to know it.

Think about it. People love certain brands, and not others, even though they deliver the same content or services. There’s a reason you read The Uncaged Life and not The Status Quo Seeker’s Guide To Running A Business. It’s my point of view, my message, and the vibe of the whole thing that you jive with.

There are a few layers to your messaging that you need to be clear on for everything to make sense in your business. I’ll use Uncaged as an example so you have a clue what I’m talking about, then you get to apply it to your own business (because everyone loves HOMEWORK). Keep in mind that I made all this shit up, so you might have read other blogs about messaging or heard people explain it in a different way. That’s great, the more perspectives on it the better. This is MY way and this is how I work through it with my clients and to this day no one has ever left unclear on their message, so I must be onto something.

And remember, messaging isn’t about the perfect language or a great pitch – that’s a copywriters job. But you can’t work with copywriter til you know what the hell you’re doing and know your message inside out. This is more about YOU feeling grounded in all of it, rather than word-smithing it til your eyeballs bleed.

Here are the core elements of your messaging:

WHY (or PURPOSE, or the IMPACT you want to have) – This is WHY you are doing what you’re doing; why you believe in what you believe in; the bigger reason you’re starting your business in the first place (and not the selfish reason of “I wan to be my own boss”, but the bigger impact that you hope to have on the world with your work. Why does it matter to you, and why should anyone else care?

POV – Point of view. Your approach. Your perspective. It’s what you are taking a STAND for you in your business. This is way more tangible than the bigger picture message. You can think of it as if you’re standing with a megaphone saying to everyone “The best way to achieve _______(whatever your big WHY is) is to _________”. What do YOU stand for? What is your way of helping people achieve your bigger message? What approach are you taking to helping people? Even if other businesses have the same big WHY (which is common), it’s your POV or your APPROACH that will differ and help you find your place in the market.

WHO (or what PROBLEM do you solve) – Who needs what you have. Ideal client stuff fits in here – you can’t help EVERYONE (nor do you want to), so who DO you want to help with your message? What problems do you solve for them. Don’t worry so much about ideal client avatar stuff. Focus more on getting clear on the problems you solve, and out of everyone who has those problems, are there specific groups or types of people that you’d prefer to work with?

HOW – How, exactly, do you help people, and what results can they expect. This is the nuts and bolts of what you DO in your business and how you help people, exactly.

An EXAMPLE: Uncaged’s Layers Of Messaging

WHY: Life is meant to be lived and not controlled by someone else. You should love how you spend your time and you can create the freedom to work and live on your own terms.

POV: I believe that the best way to have freedom and adventure in life is to work for yourself through a small online-based business – you get to control your own time, travel when you want and work from anywhere, be your own boss, and do work that matters. I also believe that in order to do this you need to be super clear on what you want and what you’re doing.

WHO: Lots of people need this, but I choose to work with 20-30somethings who have always had a sense of adventure and have never been able to settle into a ‘real” job. They know they have to start their own business – it’s the only option – and they are willing to do what it takes to make it happen for themselves. They’re high energy, savvy and smart, and risk takers. They also want online businesses that let them travel, so the WHO ends up being a lot of coaches and consultants, as that is where my expertise is.

HOW: I help these people get super clear on what they are doing in their business – everything from their own messaging to their packages to how they want to structure their business to having the confidence to actually DO it all, sooner rather than later. There are lots of HOWS that I could do here, but I have chosen the one that fits best with my expertise and my strengths and what I love to do. This is super important – you need to know what, exactly, you do for people. I didn’t say “I help people start businesses”, or “I help people grow their lists”. I am very clear and specific about what I do and don’t do with my clients.

So if you have a look through all of that, you’ll see that I started with my bigger picture message and what I stand for, drilled it down to what, exactly, my point of view is and what, exactly, I do with people.

And I’ll be honest – that last part is the hardest part and where I see most people waver in their clarity. They know their bigger picture message, but they can’t drill it down and make it tangible (which is often where I come in).

 

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The only way you will get clients is if they can understand what you do and see that it’s something they need. If you can’t describe it or get all wordy and stay with the higher level stuff, no one will get it and their eyes will gloss over and they will head for the drink table before you even finish your 5 min rambling elevator pitch.

Both parts are equally important – your bigger picture message and the vibe of what you’re all about, and then how you actually help people, in concrete terms.

If you don’t know what you’re about and people can’t grasp onto something in your message, they’ll have no idea what you do and they will never hire you.

Go work on your own layers of messaging and see if you can drill it down from vague and kind of hokey, to so clear and tangible that people are shoving their money at you!

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Need some Message Therapy? We can work together to get your message, your ideal clients, and your BUSINESS super clear – go from lost to found with Uncage Your Business.

33 Comments

  1. ketaggart on February 3, 2014 at 3:02 pm

    OK, Rebecca, you’ve heard from me before but I keep zeroing in on the answers to all of these questions with each action I take. I’m sure the answers will all keep changing as I go! YOU are one of the key people I have to thank for getting me “unstuck” and seeing that taking action, however small, is the ONLY way to figure it all out.  Can’t thank you enough! 🙂    So, here goes…

    What: I believe that freedom and spending time with family is the most important thing in the world. 

    Why:  Life’s too short to be stressed out, under the control of another person (or company’s) schedule, and beating ourselves up about whether we should be a “working mom” or a “stay-at-home mom”.  We CAN “have it all” and not only that, each area of our lives must be strong in order for the whole structure to function.  This leads to a happy peaceful life!

    POV:  I believe the best way to “have it all” as a mom is to own your own business and also to simplify in all areas of our lives.  Figuring out what is most important to us and letting go of the rest is key.

    Who:  I want to help moms who still have kids at home, 20s-40s, who want to raise their own kids as much as possible, start and build their own businesses from home, and at the same time maintain or build an awesome connected relationship with their significant other.

    How:  What I’m good at is taking the complicated and overwhelming and making it simple.  I am “multi-passionate” and I know many other moms are as well.  I will help them figure out how to start that business they’ve always dreamed of while keeping their priorities in check.  

    OK, I’m having trouble with ALL of these questions, but this one’s the hardest…I’m really just getting started, so I think it will become more and more clear as I go.  I think some of my answers are still a little vague.  More work to do! 🙂



  2. delisacarnegie on February 4, 2014 at 12:50 pm

    This is something that I have struggled with forever!

    What: Individual Freedom. The freedom to be who you want to be & not who you should be, are told be or supposed to be. The freedom to be 100% you and not conform to someone else’s idea of normal. 

    POV: I believe the best way to do this is for people to embrace their weirdness and stand in their personal power. 

    Who: Closet artists & struggling artists. People that have an inner drive to create, but let fear or other people’s opinions stop them. They need to create, they wither and shrink if they don’t and they are ready to live wide. They are outsiders, people that don’t really fit in with ‘normal’ society. They have a hard time conforming and following the rules. It can be hard for them to hold down a job. They NEED to create. 

    How: I help them clear away blocks and fears that keep them from creating their art.



  3. Rebecca Tracey on February 10, 2014 at 7:00 pm

    ketaggart  Hi Karen!! Thanks so much for posting this!

    Yesss, definitely need to get more clear on the HOW – what, exactly, do you do for people? Where does your expertise sit?

    Keep playing with it and working with more clients, you’ll get there! xo



  4. kiaraclark on February 25, 2014 at 7:31 am

    It’s very
    difficult task to convey the accurate & comprehensible massage of your
    company to your clients. The massage which misguide and misinform the customer
    can be dangerous for the company. In my opinion, the message should be of high
    quality and should carry the important information about the products so that
    after listening this, client can make a good purchase. I read here <a href=”http://www.m2onhold.com.au/news.php#13”>http://www.m2onhold.com.au/news.php#13</a&gt;  that how professional on hold message production take place. I really get impressed
    that how carefully they work to generate the best one.



  5. Steve Daar on February 26, 2014 at 6:06 pm

    Lots of people think they want and/or need to be incredibly charming or persuasive or curiosity-inducing with their message but in almost all cases:

    Clarity trumps persuasion.

    People are very ‘me-centered’ so they want to quickly know:

    1) Is this [person, website, thing, whatever] for me?
    2) How can this help me?

    Value, Clarity, & Credibility are the top 3 drivers. Once you have those nailed – – feel free to flirt with extra persuasion.



  6. DavidTiong on February 27, 2014 at 5:44 am

    Great message Rebecca Tracey, simple and to the point. Like the whole idea of looking at the big picture and then narrowing down to the finer details. Without a sense of purpose, it’s so easy to get lost in the details. Glad I found this article. Thanks for sharing



  7. theWardrobeCode on March 3, 2014 at 2:50 pm

    Ooh, I like this exercise! It’s so important, as someone who either is a one-woman-show or has a small team, to always be in touch with your message. When you’re doing most of the tasks in your business, losing clarity is bad, bad, bad.

    So, here goes:

    WHAT: Fashion and self expression through clothing should be for EVERYONE – regardless of age, size, shape or budget. It’s about equality and accessibility. No one should have to settle for “just okay” in their wardrobe.

    WHY: Because when we’re fully expressed with the style of our clothing, we’re more confident and likely to reach out toward what we really want. 

    POV: I used to hate shopping because 1.) I’m on a budget and 2.) I live in a pretty affluent area. It’s difficult to not get jealous or demoralized because people around you have the freedom to shop where ever they like. The greatest gift I ever gave myself was learning how to style myself on any budget – whether I’m shopping at Goodwill or Bloomingdale’s. Budget was my specific struggle, but I know my clients also have struggles with finding their size, their style and the time to develop it all.

    WHO: Although I think most women could benefit from my training, the one’s who absorb it best share a sense of frustration and confusion over what to buy and how to wear it. They’re career women who have limited time and need to feel stylish and confident.

    HOW: Clarity with your style happens when you get honest about who you really are, who you really want to be and what you are and are not willing to do. Once we know those things, figuring out what you’re supposed to look like falls into place so much easier.

    Thanks, Rebecca! I feel like I’ve gotten more in touch with my business as I’ve grown, and this is super helpful for reconnecting with that message!



  8. Rebecca Tracey on March 3, 2014 at 6:25 pm

    theWardrobeCode  Thanks so much for reading and for posting this! LOVE your message!!!



  9. Aleishia on March 14, 2014 at 6:11 pm

    Hi Rebecca! I caught this post on the BSchool FB page and so glad I did. This has been one of my BIGGEST struggles. I am a coach specializing in conflict and transition, and I struggle with abstractness of what I do and how to make it tangible. Here is my share:

    WHAT: Awareness= Happiness! 

    WHY: When we know ourselves, we move towards and attract what we love, while removing what doesn’t serve us. The more aware we are of our wants, needs and desires, the happier we will be.

    POV: We are bombarded with opportunity to grow in self-awareness. One of the most powerful opportunities are life altering transitions that leave us reassessing who we are. These scary transitions bring us a treasure trove of jewels that are for our taking.

    WHO: People in major transition: divorce, new parent, new career, major move. People ready to break unhealthy, patterns of behavior that put them right back in unwanted situations. People looking to (re)define life values, strengths, gifts, purpose and direction. I am really focused on men and women between their late twenties to mid forties. People who challenge the status quo and want to blaze their own trail.

    HOW: Through conversation, powerful questions, exercises, story and developing new life skills. I get to the heart of what matters and help to grow that into a sustaining light.

    Thanks Rebecca!



  10. kgornia on March 14, 2014 at 9:31 pm

    This is awesome, Rebecca! I’m in the beginning of starting a coaching business so this message might change but this is how it is right now….

    WHAT: Following through with your Passion and ending in Achievement of Goals = Ultimate Life Satisfaction

    WHY: I believe people are often discouraged to follow their dreams and they therefore forget that feeling of “passion” – that spark that makes life really amazing. I believe that each of us deserves to feel that true passion and actually FOLLOW it. That’s what will lead to a life that is blissfully satisfying and gratifying no matter what.

    POV: When I was younger I felt the need to diminish my passion and hide my interests because they weren’t typical and I wanted to be accepted by others when I moved to America during middle school . It wasn’t until I got much older, that I stopped giving a crap about what people thought and really focused on self-discovery that I realized that PASSION and figuring out what you love and desire to do is what makes life truly amazing. That feeling of purpose and passion, that fire, and actually DOING something about it and succeeding – that’s what makes life truly amazing and worthwhile.

    WHO: I encourage and strategize with solopreneurs (or people with a side “freelance” business) in their 20s who are passionate but driven but they need guidance as to how to succeed at their passion (with the help of the internet)

    HOW: I dig deep into what makes these people tick and what is the best plan of action to put control to the chaos. Come up with a plan and clear blocks that stand in the way of succeeding and achieving satisfaction from following their passion.



  11. Rebecca Tracey on March 14, 2014 at 9:53 pm

    Aleishia  Awesome, thanks for posting!!

    So, the curse of life coaches is that they (we, since I am/was one!) all sound really vague. So your challenge here is to really get the language of your ideal clients and plug that into your messaging. 

    Are your clients walking around saying things like “I need to develop new life skills” and “I need to redefine my life values”?

    That might be what they need, but there might be a disconnect between what you are writing and how THEY are describing their problems!

    Do a bit of research and let me know what you find!



  12. Rebecca Tracey on March 18, 2014 at 7:50 am

    kgornia  Awesome, thanks for sharing! This is definitely a great start.
    For your POV – what do YOU believe is the best way for people to follow that passion? What are you taking a stand for you in your business?
    Can you get any more specific with the HOW? I’m not quite sure exactly what you do based on the above!

    A lot of this will also come in time – new coaches always have the curse of being more broad and vague than most other businesses!



  13. Rebecca Tracey on March 18, 2014 at 7:51 am

    Steve Daar  Nailed it Steve. CLARITY CLARITY CLARITY over cleverness any day of the week.



  14. Rebecca Tracey on March 18, 2014 at 7:52 am

    delisacarnegie  love that you know WHO you do it for, that’s a big part of getting clear!
    How would you describe what PROBLEM  you sole for people?



  15. Aleishia on March 19, 2014 at 4:41 pm

    Rebecca Tracey AleishiaThanks for the feedback and I will let you know!



  16. AshleyLashea on March 21, 2014 at 5:39 am

    Hey Rebecca I’m new here and I love what I see so far!!!
    I’m a car transport broker – I find clients reliable trucks to put their car on to get it across the country and I am in an extremely competitive industry so I always knew having a purpose or message would be key to being different but now it’s a step further and I have a clearly defined path. I can finally make the changes to my site with ease because of this exercise.
    Without further ado here’s my assignment:
    WHAT –
    Car shipping shouldn’t be something that you “have to do” . It can be an amazing experience full of little surprises.
    WHY –
    You only have one life so every time you do something, you should experience it to it’s fullest potential. Despite what you may think, you’ll say you want efficiency but in reality, you crave excitement, pleasure and adventure. We all do. So when you’ve decided to hire someone to move your car, why not make it something worth experiencing. Even if everyone else thinks it’s just car shipping.
    POV –
    When you ship your car, you’re gaining two very similar but different things; “Free” time {this is the time you’ll use to get tasks done} and “Bonding” time {this is the time you can spend with family and friends or just some good old fashioned “me” time.}
    I believe that the best way to ship your car is to have an amazing experience that’ll truly eliminate the “I’m shipping my car because I have to” mentality.
    One that will guide and inspire you to use this time as a “bonding time”. And that’s key.
    WHO –
    It’s not so much about who this service is for as who it is not for. If you only want someone that can arrange to have your car picked up at your front door, loaded onto a car trailer, drive it across country and delivered to your new destination and that’s it, then it’s not for you.
    On the other hand, if you crave excitement and surprises and yearn to be guided and inspired to get the most out of shipping your car, then you’ll see the value in the process. If you’re nodding your head saying that you only have one life and since this car shipping thing is going to happen one way or another, you might as well make an experience out of it, then you’ve already pre-qualified yourself.
    HOW –
    Like every other broker out there, I help people ship their car safely across country and this is a very important aspect of my job. But because I feel that every service no matter the type, warrants an unforgettable experience, I take auto transport a step further. I create a car shipping experience that’ll inspire and guide you to relish in the freedom shipping your car gives you.
    Thanks Rebecca!
    XO,
    Ashley



  17. Rebecca Tracey on May 12, 2014 at 12:44 pm

    AshleyLashea  Ashley – this is amazing!! Sorry I missed it til now. Well done! oxox



  18. ConnectionEXNG on September 23, 2014 at 4:43 pm

    Love this Becca!

    What – We have the capability to do and learn just about anything. Having a resourceful mindset can take you anywhere.  I’m all about SHIPPING it!

    Why – The more we believe we can teach ourselves how to run a business, learn that technology, write, build something new etc the more doors will open because we’re resourceful doers, who understand that learning and knowledge is an ongoing process.  Knowledge is Power and freedom! If you power through your resistance and own limitations your learning will be faster and your knowledge and capabilities will grow.

    Pov – I believe that we have what it takes to learn the things we need to know, we just need to understand which direction we want to go in, have some idea of our destination and then build a learning journey that will take us there.  My philosophy – Your capabilities and opportunities are only limited by your resourcefulness

    Who – I love working with 28-45ish types who have a passion to do more but don’t know what they are capable of.  They want to start a business or take their career to the next stage but just don’t know where to start. They are passionate but maybe a little scared or unsure, they feel like they have potential but don’t know how to access it.

    How – I help people access resources that they may not have known about, build a structured plan to help them build their learning, skills and tools over time in order to achieve their end goal.  I work with (mostly) women who have little idea of the entrepreneurial world and want to start to access more resources and opportunities to create their own freedom.  I also mentor corporate chicks on navigating and managing their careers in big corporates.  I believe being connected, focused and resourceful is what makes you stand out from the crowd.  

    Would love to know if that is clear of if it needs fine tuning!



  19. jacinthekoddo on December 7, 2014 at 11:25 pm

    Hi Becca,

    I just signed-up for your Hey, Nice Package through Tad’s site, got started right away and have now worked through this post, too! Your content is awesome and I love your approach.

    Here’s what I’ve come up with: 

    MY WHAT 

    Life is supposed to be fulfilling. 

    MY WHY

    I believe that when you connect with people personally, you live a better life and build better businesses. I believe you have control over all the decisions in your life and when you are transparent, authentic, and vulnerable, you will get everything you want.

    MY POV

    I believe that the best way to have a fulfilling life is to understand what you’re good at, why you’re good at it, and when your fascination with it started in order to build your self-marketing story. Once you know your story, you can get the job/build the business you love by first recognizing the right situations for you, understanding the value you bring to that situation, and communicate clearly how you can help the people/businesses in that situation all while being super clear about what you need to make that situation work.

    MY WHO

    Everyone could use this, but my focus is on 20 to 30-somethings who have always had a sense that there’s more to life than graduating from school, working to live, getting married, buying a house, having kids, and retiring at 65. They have a multi-faceted background with many interests, one of which is holistic health and wellbeing of people. They value face-to-face relationships, empowering others, and working with people and business that are making the world a better place.

    MY HOW

    I help these people discover, craft, and/or tell their most authentic story by hosting experiences where they feel comfortable, safe and supported. These experiences show up as professional skills development, public speaking and presentation skills courses offered in the form of dinner salons, classes at educational institutions and individual professional skills consulting.



  20. Maya Gangadharan on May 21, 2015 at 10:49 am

    I love this exercise! I felt like I had a pretty good idea of what I want to do, but having to actually write it all out was extremely helpful. Part of me feels like this focus is too narrow, but since I know it’s all about being very specific with your niche I guess that’s a good thing!

    WHY: Our capacity to thrive mentally, physically, spiritually and in our relationships is directly related to our health and vitality. Your body should allow you to live your life to the fullest and positively impact the world around you.

    POV: I believe that the best way to achieve vibrant health is to start with digestion. Whatever other health issues you may be facing, it’s going to be pretty hard—-if not impossible—to heal them if you can’t digest the food and nutrients that are meant to fix the problem. I also say a pox on one-size-fits-all solutions: your body is unique and needs a specific, tailored solution.

    WHO: I work with women in their 30’s and 40’s who think of themselves as health conscious but are frustrated and confused. They’re suffering from hormonal issues, fatigue, heartburn, gas and bloating, food allergies and other problems that are making it hard for them to enjoy life. They have some basic health knowledge. They’ve read The China Study to The Paleo Solution and everything in between, but nothing has given them lasting results. They’re highly motivated and they’re not afraid of making changes—even if it means flying in the face of popular opinion—and sticking to those changes if they see results.

    HOW: I use symptom analysis and (in some cases) a functional evaluation to determine where the digestive system has gone wrong. From there, I help these women choose the foods, supplements and lifestyle changes that will correct the problem.



  21. Andrea Pierce on June 9, 2015 at 8:00 am

    Becca! This was so helpful! I’m just starting out on your 3-month hustle checklist and it is just what I need to get my business ideas moving forward. I struggled the most with the how, partially because I think the how with each client will be unique to them and I also feel like I”m kind of wordy altogether.

    Why I am doing what I’m doing: I have worked in hospitals since 2010 and I have seen first-hand the devastation of chronic disease. The reliance on prescription medications to treat the symptoms of our standard American lifestyles, the side effects of those medications, and the economic burden from our failure to prevent chronic disease. And I believe there is a different way, a better way, a way that gets to the root cause of chronic disease to prevent it from happening or even to reverse some chronic diseases.

    Why I believe in what I’m doing: I have done thousands of medical chart reviews of people with chronic disease and know that most of what the established medical community is recommending is flawed and lacking in truly improving health and well-being. Healthcare providers will spend 15 minutes counseling a patient on the risks and benefits of a medication, how to take it, and what side effects to expect. Patients will start the medication, maybe continue taking it, maybe experience said effects. They might get their clinical markers to goal – which is what the medical community is hoping for. But being at goal does not truly reflect the health of that person. It does not address why they need that medication in the first place. Is the medication adding healthy years to their lives? To wake up with energy to start the day? Are they able to run around on the playground with their grandchildren? To take the once in a lifetime trip to Europe when they retire and walk around the streets of Parsis, London with pep in their step?

    Bigger reason starting business – impact I want to have in the world: My mission in life is to inspire and enable the health and well-being of individuals and communities. Healthy people, healthy communities = happier world.

    POV: The best way to achieve better health is to help people find and stick to the healthy habits that work for them to create their best life possible with the least amount of sacrifice. I believe much of the advice the medical community recommends about diet and exercise is flawed and sets people up for failure (Watch your cholesterol intake, eat low-fat, switch to whole grains, exercise 30 min a day,etc.) and that they give patients minimal tools for actually making lifestyle changes. I take a holistic approach to an individual’s health that looks at all components of their lifestyle and see what habits are keeping them stuck in the standard American lifestyle and how those habits can be shifted to a more evolutionary-based lifestyle, one that increases their vitality in living everyday and adds years to to their lives.

    WHO: I work with middle aged adults to seniors (30s – 70s) who are at risk for or already have one of the big three chronic diseases. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. I help to prevent or reverse these conditions and the longer term health risks related to them (cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s, cancer). I work with individuals who believe there is more to life than just getting by, that it’s never to too late to make a change to keep improving themselves, and who are ready to take control of their health.

    HOW: I help these individuals identify habits that are holding them back and, by tapping into their own motivation and power to change, work with them to shift those less healthy habits to ones that help them live with more vitality. The 3 habits that I focus on initially, and believe are the foundation for living with vitality are 1) sleep and rest, 2) what you eat and drink, and 3) movement.

    Before my clients are tired and feel fatigued all the time, rely on coffee and sugar for energy, are unhappy with their appearance, on (or needing) medications, think aches and pains are just part of aging, and are frustrated with the results they’ve had trying to do it on their own.

    After working with me, my clients look and feel younger than their age, have a new-found mental clarity, don’t need their medications anymore and their doctor can’t believe their results, and have a vitality and way of living that attracts others to them to ask “what’s your secret?”



  22. Sarah Jensen on August 22, 2015 at 11:42 pm

    Thank you so much for making something that I’ve been overcomplicating and freaking out about for ages SO SIMPLE. I love how you break things down and give such great examples. It makes it so much easier for me to get out my own way, put my energy into the things that really matter and build my business on a really strong, smart, bull-shit free foundation. Thanks Becca!



  23. Iva on December 13, 2015 at 6:17 am

    WHY: I am certain everyone can live the life they desire and be happy and there are amazing coaches, tools and training programs to achieve that.

    POV: Personal growth is the only way to move forward in life and business, with so many brilliant coaches and therapists out there people have a fantastic chance to transform their lives, they just need to want it. Wellness tourism being the next hot thing on the rise and me living in the midst of the top wellness destination of Bali with years of experience of organizing events and practical knowledge of how to organize retreat on Bali – I want to assist organization and promotion of retreats so the light workers can do their work in assisting personal transformation of people.

    WHO: Coaches and therapists with 5-10 years of established practice and programs that set their mind to expand their business to organizing retreats. Those therapists that need assistance with logistics of organizing a retreat and need help with inspecting venues, finding cooks of healthy food, transportation, free time activities, legal issues . Those coaches and therapist that have their tribe or want to build their tribe and make good use of digital marketing to reach their ideal clients and sell them retreats and other online training services.

    HOW: Trough offering services of retreat organization/ event management, one on one coaching sessions and online courses to teach the practical knowledge of retreat organization. I have teamed up with a digital marketing expert so offering services of building online selling machine, funnels in the form of ready-made packages, on on one coaching and online courses.



  24. George K on January 16, 2016 at 12:29 am

    I hope I’ve got this right… here goes

    WHY: I don’t want people to spend years looking in the wrong direction and suffer
    endlessly – constantly teetering on the edge of giving up on their dreams and giving up
    on themselves.

    POV: If you take care of you and what’s going on inside [the real core issues] then
    you build the resiliency and capability to handle the ups and downs of every day life as you strive to keep growing and push your limits further.

    WHO: Intelligent, caring, passionate individuals who are open to doing what it
    takes, have tried other coaches or processes and not gotten the end result they were
    looking for – they are ambitious and have big dreams but have never been shown clearly
    what it is that has been getting in their way.

    HOW: Through developing a ‘relationship’ and using my multi-faceted communication skill-set to help facilitate a self-discovery process and the right learning environment to get great ideas across in a way that is tailor suited to the person I’m working with.

    Any feedback is welcome; especially anything about getting more ‘concrete’ with the language – thank you for this great article and example, it made the process for me a whole lot easier.



    • Rebecca Tracey on January 16, 2016 at 11:18 am

      Hey George! I think the part where this gets fuzzy for me is the HOW “multi faceted communication skill set, self discovery process, right learning environment etc – I have no idea what results your clients actually. So think in terms of tangible results here.

      This may help you – https://theuncagedlife.com/courses/#saywhat



  25. D Cretney on January 24, 2016 at 11:48 am

    Please tell me you will be offering some more FOUNDations sessions…this is what I need!



  26. Emma on June 15, 2016 at 9:17 am

    WHY
    I am a high achiever. I worked hard and pushed hard and aimed high. I earned good money and had a nice life. But I was stressed out. Striving for more but never reaching ‘happiness’. Aiming for shit I didnt really want. And then I broke. The journey to now has been tough but enlightening. Creating head-space and learning to enjoy all the little moments and observe my busy mind for what it is has enabled me to start being happy NOW without waiting for the ‘next thing’ to make it so. I went through a life coach but experienced the frustration of having someone telling me to ‘let things unfold’ – yes I am doing that and I understand that acceptance and surrender are important but I still want to AIM for things – its a part of me – and I like it!
    So my WHY is I believe people can lead awesome lives, aim high, achieve great things whilst enjoying the NOW and the journey as it unfolds.

    POV
    Doing cool shit, changing direction, being you, enjoying now – all of it is possible. Leading an awesome life is ready for the taking and it doesnt need to involve untold stress or being so busy you miss out on all the snizzle surrounding you now. You probably already have a pretty awesome life you just need help seeing it again.

    WHO
    High energy, high achievers, go getters who have it all but still arent happy and/or are constantly chasing ‘happiness’
    People who want MORE but dont know what more is
    Risk takers who have become risk averse or the risk averse who want to find the inner risk taker

    HOW
    Find some space in the busy mind for NOW
    Clear out the fears – clean slate so you can start aiming again for what you really want
    Setting goals that actually mean something no matter how crazy!
    Doing it NOW (cus us kinda people like to do shit !)

    Eeekkk – feels a bit scary putting it OUT there when I am still in the closet 🙂



  27. Jonathan Mazal on July 4, 2016 at 10:10 pm

    Rebecca, I have been following your FB posts for a while now, but finally in a place to make real strides with my personal business growth. With a little direction and bench-mark setting, I have no doubt I can change my life and those around me! That said, below is my “homework assignment”. Curious to hear your thoughts and those of others:

    WHY: Of the 250 thousand radiologic technologists (RTs) in the United States, only 30% are satisfied with their jobs*. That means 60% (2 in 3 RTs) are not! I have repeatedly found high paying jobs, that challenge me, and I take pride in. I want to help others do the same.

    *Based on data from ASRT/ARRT.

    POV: I believe that a lack of job satisfaction comes from settling for business as usual. But it doesn’t (and shouldn’t) be that way! For this reason I have identified 14 alternative career pathways that can help take any RT from looking at the medical imaging profession as a job, to getting excited at the notion of developing a custom medical imaging career that fits their personal interests and needs (and the benefits that comes with).

    WHO: Ready to work with any individual that shares a passion for the multi-faceted field of medical imaging. This could include students currently enrolled in an associates or bachelors program, or a seasoned RT looking to breathe new life into their career. As long as they are willing to put the time and effort into making real change happen, then I am ready to point them in the right direction and help them set benchmarks for acheivement.

    HOW: I have developed outlines for each of the 14 alternative career pathways that walk RTs through the basics of what needs to be known to succesfully master a selected alternative career pathway. Utilizing case studies of other RTs who have already found success, and providing numerous RT-specific tools and resources, I not only help identify a new way to use their exisiting skill-set, but also help expedite the career growth process.



  28. David on July 12, 2016 at 6:57 am

    I’m a newbie and at a very early stage of my ‘Uncaged’ journey.

    Having read the ‘messages’ above I am impressed, in general, how much progress others have made. I am at the drawing board, fumbling with sketchy responses to the elements- why, pov etc.

    Oh well, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’!

    I can see a particular challenge, for a service business, of defining ‘results’ that clients can ‘expect to see’. Ownership of the results lies with the clients, who have control of the effort required to understand and implement the advice, information and other inputs from the service-provider.

    Best wishes from inside the cage (at present).



  29. Cindy on September 6, 2016 at 7:31 pm

    Becca! You’re amazing! I love your stuff, and this exercise was very helpful. I’m open to any feedback you can provide me for the following!

    WHY: The more people out there providing support and coaching at a higher level, the better this world will be. The more they can find the space to create and support their clients, the more help they can provide to a larger audience.

    POV: I believe that the best way to create more space is to learn how to be productive and efficient. Systems and processes help streamline a business so that you can stop worrying about all that shit and focus on what’s important. I also believe in no excuses, and that the women of the world need to pull up their big girl panties and just get shit done.

    WHO: I help female authors, speakers, coaches and online gurus who are looking to take their business to the next level; whatever that might mean for them. They are successful at what they do, but are too overwhelmed with the day to day tasks of running a business in order to take the next step up.

    HOW: I help people get shit done. By taking large, overwhelming tasks and breaking it down into small, actionable steps, I can help these people manage their schedules, their productivity and their efficiency. I can work hands on with these people and do a lot of the work for them, or I can teach them the strategies they need to get it done themselves. I offer Virtual Assistant service packages that will allow them to build up to the next level. I also teach productivity and efficiency techniques, that will assist them in managing their overwhelm.



    • Rebecca Tracey on September 8, 2016 at 3:13 pm

      This sounds awesome Cindy — how does to feel to you?



      • Cindy on September 10, 2016 at 2:19 pm

        The entire process of messaging is new to me, but I feel that what I wrote resonates with me and is authentic. I find it’s difficult to begin because of a lot of self-doubt and the fact that this hasn’t actually been tested in the marketplace yet. However, I’m ‘getting shit done’ and my website should be live in about 2 weeks. I will start testing then! I’m sure that there will be tweaks along the way, but I’m happy with this as a start. Feels good to get positive feedback from you as well; so I know I’m not crazy and am actually on the right track!! Thanks Becca! You rock!